xiv, 317 pages ; 24 cm

O'Reilley, a Quaker raised as a Catholic, embarks on a year working on a sheep farm and visiting a Buddhist monastery in France

Includes bibliographical references

1. Flight school. Surrender -- 8 am in the sheep barn -- As if -- Facts -- Catching and slipping and shearing -- Green pastures -- Health food -- Shopping for coffee -- Choirs of Seraphim -- On call -- Nature -- Acceptance of the present -- Bound for Canaan -- The Shelagh -- Ordinary time -- Sweeping -- Is it necessary to have a plow? -- Chaos -- Space -- Barn talk -- Normal suffering -- Endangered species -- Dominant species -- Desire -- Into the woods -- Across the face of a clock -- Dirty stab wound -- Attachment -- Feast of St. Francis -- Fidelity to objects -- Ghost -- Tundra swans -- Why I am plodding -- Efficiency -- From a distance. 2. Clearing land for the lotus pool. Cold -- Monkey mind -- Casual -- Nothing human -- Kindness -- Practice everything -- Homesick -- Armor -- Regular practice -- Why? -- Rich life -- Moving woods -- Oceans -- Failed novice -- Trancing a rabbit -- Empty -- Full -- Stop -- Surrender again -- Dharma rap session

Community -- Work -- Lightning -- Excess. 3. I saw a river rise. Apprentice shepherd -- Home -- Cleaning -- When you talk to angels -- Barn ecology -- The best way to work with Lucy -- Inside and outside -- Hallucinating -- Freezing -- What you know -- It's not free -- Nothing to do -- What language does God speak? -- Hard metaphors and soft facts -- Weather shifts -- Lazy days -- Haltering up -- Lake -- Missing in action -- The council of nature -- Grieving -- Weights and measures -- Dark and ebbing energy -- Elf patterning -- Heading out -- Sheep may safely graze -- Maine -- The religion of natural process -- Hot -- July -- Sin and grace -- Leaving -- True and false personae -- Getting dressed -- Forgiveness -- Healing -- Pearl of great price -- Pacem in Terris -- Thirty hours

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